2009/05/05 by Sinéad M. Rhodes, Sinéad Rhodes, Tracy M. Stewart +2
Arts and Humanities · Business, Management and Accounting · Psychology · Social Sciences · #Child Development and Digital Technology #Child and Animal Learning Development #Financial Analysis and Corporate Governance #Media Influence and Health
paper · pdf · doi:10.1111/bjdp.12318
openalex publication_date 2009/05/05 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/02
Recent research has suggested that particular content of television programmes, such as watching fantastical scenes, can have negative consequences on cognitive functions in young children. We examined the effects of watching fantastical programmes on executive functions measured at both pre- and post-television viewing. Eighty 5- to 6-year-old children participated and were randomized into either fantastical or non-fantastical conditions. They completed inhibition, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning tasks both before and after watching either the brief fantastical or non-fantastical television clip. Whilst there were no differences between the groups at pre-test on any of the cognitive measures, children in the fantastical condition were poorer on inhibition, working memory, and cognitive flexibility tasks at the post-test session. Watching fantastical television content, even briefly, seems to disrupt cognitive function performance in young children across a broad range of aspects of executive function. Statement of contribution What is already known on this subject? Exposure to fantastical content within a television programme may impair executive functions in young children. What does this study add? Exposure to fantastical content within television programmes impairs executive functions in children of early primary school age. Impairment extends to all three core aspects of executive functions. Watching fantastical clips slows down planning performance without improving accuracy.